"Hello, Mr. Thorne," Mr. Lionel said as he stood up quickly from his seat. His voice was warm, but a little too eager, like a man who had been waiting a long time for this very moment. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
Heather watched him closely, and she didn't blame him for sounding so excited. Gerald Thorne wasn't just any man—he was one of the most powerful people in all of Velmora.
She remembered hearing about him when she was a teenager. There were stories, whispered rumors, like the time he shut down the entire city for a full day just for his wedding.
Streets were blocked, flights grounded, even city services paused. People still talked about it like it was a fairy tale.
But even with all the talk, no one ever really knew much about the Thornes. Gerald only ever shared what he wanted people to see. He was a very controlling and calculative man.
